Good Causes

Sparking Hope: The Birth of a Sumatran Rhino

We are pleased to announce the birth of a female Sumatran rhino! The team at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary are beaming with glee as this marks another success for their rebreeding program. Read on to understand the importance of this birth and the environmental benefits she brings.

The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry have recently announced the birth of a baby Sumatran rhino. The calf was born on March 24th at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, located in the heart of Way Kambas National Park in Lampung, Indonesia.

Video footage of Rosa with her New Born. Credits: SRS

The baby rhino is the first child of Rosa and Andatu and remains to be named. Rosa has been a resident at the sanctuary since 2005 and Andatu was the first rhino born under the rebreeding program in 2012. The new calf is the sixth Sumatran rhino to be born in captivity. Her presence at the Sanctuary brings the population to 8.

The birth is a global success for conservation efforts. Wiratno, the Director-General for Nature Conservation and Ecosystems, stated: “The birth of the Sumatran rhino is good news amid the efforts of the Indonesian government and partners to increase the Sumatran rhino population…We hope to continue to receive happy news from the births of other Sumatran rhinos in the future”.

Likewise, Cathy Dean, CEO of Save the Rhino International, said: “This is fantastic news for Sumatran rhino conservation and we are so excited that Rosa and her new calf are healthy and doing well. The birth would not have been possible without the commitment of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry and our many NGO partners in Indonesia and around the world”.

Image: The baby rhino. Credits: SRS

More Details about the Birth

The birth of the new calf marks a momentous occasion as is signifies the end of reproductive difficulties. Since 2015, the staff have attempted to mate Rosa with the males in the sanctuary. Eventually, Rosa fell pregnant in 2017. However, this was a short-lived moment of happiness as it marked the start of 8 miscarriages until 2020. The miscarriages caused her to develop uterine fibroids. Her fragile health saw Rosa being closely monitored by the veterinarians and staff at the Sanctuary.

Rosa fell pregnant for the last time in 2020 and successfully gave birth after a 15 to 16 month gestation period. Following the birth, international veterinary experts have made themselves available for consultation and are working together with SRS staff to respond to any medical issues that Rosa or the calf may have.

The Sanctuary is now closed to visitors to allow Rosa to bond with her calf.

Image: Rosa and her calf. Credits: SRS

The importance of Sumatran Rhinos

Sumatran rhinos play a crucial role for environmental preservation. These mammals disperse seeds throughout the Southeast Asian forests, maintaining forest composition and promoting biodiversity. A recent study observed that Sumatran rhinos contribute towards the growth of 79 plant species in Sumatran forests.

The Sumatran rhino is a critically endangered species with less than 80 rhinos left in the wild. Furthermore, the rhino population continues to decline. This is concerning as the population has declined by more than 80% over the last 30 years. For this reason, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have placed the specie on their Red List. This is to raise awareness and generate support for conservation efforts, such as the Sanctuary’s rebreeding program.

The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary was created to protect the critically endangered species, to participate in research endeavours, and to be part of a breeding program to help repopulate the species. According to Wiranto: “The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park is the only place for the Sumatran rhino to breed naturally with the support of technology and collaboration of expertise, both from within and outside the country”. Due to their technical capability, “SRS seeks to produce as many young Sumatran rhinos as possible, according to safe conditions to maintain the survival of the Sumatran rhino species which is now threatened with extinction.”

This means we can look forward to welcoming more baby rhinos that will contribute to the species survival.

Image: Close up of the new calf. Credits: SRS

Our relationship with the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary

We, at The Happy Prawn Co., have proudly supported the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary since 2007.

Our recent donation was for the installation of a CCTV system in the breeding centre. This is to monitor current and future pregnancies and post-deliveries, such as Rosa’s pregnancy.

We would not have been able to do this without your continuous support. So, we would like to extend a warm thank you to our customers, U.K. retailers and partners. We also hope to celebrate good news again with you in the future!

Image: Certificate of Appreciation to our parent company. Credits: SRS

________________

About The Happy Prawn Co.

The Happy Prawn Co. is an independent, ethical brand producing 100% natural, 100% traceable Black Tiger prawns from Indonesia. Aimed at seafood lovers and foodies alike, the brand officially launched in 2018, but it’s the result of more than a decade’s dedication.